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BACOSSI: Only for the Zanu PF connected
The Standard (Zimbabwe)
August 03, 2008

View article on the Standard (Zimbabwe) website

Only Zanu PF officials are benefiting from the goods meant for the people's shops under the National Basic Commodities Supply Enhancement Programme, The Standard was told yesterday. Under the programme households get hampers with basic commodities: 2kg of rice, flour and sugar, a 750ml bottle of cooking oil, a packet of candles, toothpaste, bathing and washing soap, Vaseline, powdered milk and sanitary pads. Beneficiaries of these hampers will have to part with $100 billion ($10 re-denominated currency) - insufficient to buy a single loaf of bread. Local traditional leaders such as chiefs and headmen will be actively involved in the distribution, a move analysts say would be used to settle political scores. In the past opposition supporters were denied access to government programmes like free seed maize and fertiliser. Analysts say the government's populist measure would benefit the privileged few at the expense of the majority.

As if to confirm the politicisation of the programme, last week The Standard was told a woman from Mutasa Central constituency in Manicaland province committed suicide on Tuesday (July 29, 2008) after she was denied the right and permission to buy groceries that were being distributed to her rural area. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the alleged suicide, but she was identified only as Mai Tarwa, a mother of three a from Moyoweshumba village, Mutasa Central constituency in Manicaland province. The Standard heard that the woman was devastated when she visited Moyoweshumba Primary School, where the groceries were being distributed. Her village head reportedly disowned her, resulting in the woman's failure to buy the groceries. The village head reportedly claimed that the woman was an active member of the Movement for Democratic Change and could therefore not be eligible for the groceries.

In rural areas, headmen are given the authority and permission to identify eligible households that are facing starvation so that they benefit from goods distributed by the government under the programme. Devastated after she was turned down, the woman went and hanged herself from a tree near her home. For example in Masvingo, soldiers and top Zanu PF chefs looted food hampers last Thursday. There was a stampede by people in Gutu two weeks ago when the First Lady, Grace Mugabe handed over 10 000 tonnes of maize meal and food hampers.Several Zanu PF members sustained injuries while some were severely beaten by armed soldiers called in to restrain the villagers.Speaking to The Standard over the weekend, some ordinary Zanu PF card-holding members said they failed to get the basic commodities in the ensuing chaos while the soldiers who were called to restore order took advantage and looted the goods.

"The First Lady said nobody was to leave the place empty-handed, but just as she left there was a stampede and people trampled on each other to get the groceries, which are beyond the reach of many," said a Zanu PF supporter. He said that deserving people - who cannot afford to buy those products - left empty-handed, while the fat cats got fatter. "Many people got injured either from stepping on each other, or from batons used by the police and soldiers to disperse the unruly crowd," he said. "But in the process, the soldiers and the police were taking away the goods, alongside the top hierarchy. As a result, the ordinary people went empty handed."The residents also feared unfair distribution of the farming equipment, handed over by the First Lady but which is yet to be distributed. Zanu PF provincial chairperson, Retired Major Alex Mudavanhu could not be reached for comment. He was said to be out of his office while his mobile was not reachable.

Analysts say the events in Masvingo mirror the shortcomings of the government's special facilities that tend to benefit only a few. "The People's Shops are serving the needs of a privileged minority," said John Robertson, an independent economic consultant. In the run up to the June 27 presidential election run-off President Robert Mugabe promised 100% empowerment to the people. Robertson says the programme was empowering only a few. "It is 100% empowerment of two percent of the population. In this case they are missing the mark by a wide margin," he said. Analysts say the government should have boosted capacity of local industries to produce more by creating a stable environment. Besides facing raw materials and foreign currency shortages, industries have to grapple with price controls. The effects of last year's price blitz are still being felt today as shops are failing to restock.

According to the CZI Manufacturing Survey 2008 report, special cheap loan facilities were causing a serious growth in money supply fuelling inflation. "The BACOSSI facilities are having little impact given that they tend to be targeted and those who get them are not getting their full disbursements," the report said. "Some of the beneficiaries pointed out to CZI during the course of the year the need for the facility and any similar future ones to take into account the value chain approach if the facility is to have impact." Renson Gasela, agricultural point man in the MDC-Mutambara formation, said lessons from previous programmes show that only people aligned to Zanu PF will benefit. "Clearly, the way limited maize has been made available in the rural areas, that is using Zanu PF structures, is exactly the same way that these basics will be sold," Gasela said. "They will be available only to their members and also those who will join in order to survive."

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